I've decided that our recently turned 4 year old DD will not be learning to sew
on the POS plastic "toy" Singer chain-stitch machine that I recently bought for her.
In fact, it is going back from whence it came post-haste.

Instead, I've decided to turn my Great-Grandmother's
Model 15 treadle head into a hand-crank with a bolt-on adapter.
I'll need to give her lots of TLC as she's been stored and unused for over 50 years.

My mother has another Singer in GG's treadle cabinet
..and honestly, I don't have the room for it in my house.
For now, the head is still at my mother's house, 8 hours away from me...
but I'm making plans!

I found a site that shows you how to make one of these seemingly simple
to build bases for heads that we have no cases or cabinets!

I totally agree with you. My grandaughter is going to learn on an old Domestic machine. Her mom, my DD got it from a house that was going to be sold from bancruptcy--it has the bottom wood base but no top---it is electric and am in process of getting new motor and plug ins for it. All it does is straight stitch. I pulled the old paper off the base as it was peeling from moisture where it was stored. Cleaned up the wood and applied wood grain contact paper to it. How can you ask for a better learning machine that is sturdy, sews one stitch and obviously will last? And the best part was it was free.

Great tutorial! I have fallen so in love with these vintage machines. It's so great that you're putting one back to use. I've wondered about building these wooden bases, figured it wasn't that difficult--and with this tutorial, it isn't!! Thanks for sharing it!

My mother taught me to sew on her machine with a knee pedal, but wouldn't let me use it for my first garment. I had to turn the wheel with my right index finger, no handle. I can still remember that it had a rough finish. I had the shiniest callous on my fingertip by the time I was done.

these oldies but goodies are great to learn on.If the new sewers are learning on a machine that does not sew well without lots of fiddling around they will become discouraged instead of learning to love sewing/quilting